To ask the President of the Council what arrangements have been agreed for financial assistance to opposition parties. [83392]

The Committee on Standards in Public Life recommended in October 1998 that financial assistance to opposition parties (known as "Short money") should be reviewed with a view to increasing it substantially, perhaps by as much as three times. Such assistance has been provided to opposition parties since 1975 to enable them more effectively to perform their parliamentary duties. It is claimed in respect of parties' parliamentary business and is largely spent on research assistance for opposition spokesmen, assistance in the opposition parties' Whips' offices and staff for the Leader of the Opposition.It has now been agreed that basic Short money will be increased by a factor of 2.7. This means that the opposition parties will receive £10,732.69 for every seat won and £ 21.44 for every 200 votes cast in their favour at the last general election. The travel fund for party spokesmen will be increased in line with inflation. The Neill Committee also recommended a specific allocation for the Leader of the Opposition's Office and this has now been set at £500,000 a year.The maximum sums each party will receive in the 1999-2000 financial year are set out as follows:

	£
Conservative	3,377,973.27
Liberal Democrat	1,085,009.82
Scottish Nationalist Party	134,643.44
Plaid Cymru	61,859.17
Ulster Unionist	138,749.97
Democratic Unionist	33,871.20
SDLP	54,111.99

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how much funding has been allocated to each select committee for overseas travel since May 1997. [82937]

The Commission approves an annual figure for Select Committee travel; allocation to individual Committees is made, on its behalf, by the Liaison Committee. The figures for the total budget for the last three financial years are as follows:

£
1997–98	695,000
1998–99	949,975
1999–2000	975,600

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects on airline flight crews of organophosphate air pollution on board aircraft. [82322]

An organic phosphate compound Tricresylphosphate (TCP) is used as a load carrying additive for lubricants in aircraft jet engines. While TCP is toxic, it is not comparable to the organophosphates used in pesticides. While an aircraft is in flight, fresh air is taken in through air conditioning packs using compressed air supplied by the engines. These are designed to ensure that fumes from the engines do not enter the aircraft. However, in the very rare event of the failure of an engine seal, fumes could enter the air conditioning system and therefore the aircraft cabin. If this happens, the air conditioning unit can be isolated or the engine shut down, minimising any exposure to fumes.We have no evidence to suggest that fumes from aircraft engines have lead to long term health problems for aircraft crew or passengers. However, we are aware that this issue is being investigated in other countries and will review the situation once those investigations are completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish London Transport's report "The Future of London Underground". [82739]

Neither we nor LT intend to publish this document, which was produced to assist our consideration of the options for London Underground in 1997.All the key points relating to the Government's announcement of their chosen London Underground Public Private Partnership option were covered in the document "London Underground Public Private Partnership — Fact and Analysis", copies of which were deposited in the Library on 20 March 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce fair trade products at (a) meetings, (b) events and (c) catering facilities within his Department. [82870]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary on 5 May 1999, Official Report, column 410.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much British Rail land was sold to private companies in (a) 1996, (b) 1997 and (c) 1998. [83005]

Total sales of land by the British Railways Board for each financial year are as follows:

• 1996 –97: 518 sales for £65.6 million
• 1997 –98: 800 sales for £76.3 million
• 1998 –99: 222 sales for £33.0 million.

Information on which sales were to private companies, private individuals (who may be buying for use by a private company) or public bodies is not held in a readily available form and could be provided only at disproportionate cost to the Board.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what statistics his Department collates on payments by local authorities in compensation to people injured as a result of an accident arising from an inadequately maintained pavement or highway. [83469]

This information is not centrally available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legal costs were incurred in respect of the processing of applications from prisoners for early release under the provisions of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. [82333]

The total paid up to and including 23 April 1999 by way of legal aid direction by the Commissioners is £36,034.With regard to other legal costs incurred by the Secretary of State, the information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer of 29 March 1999, Official Report, column 477, on Special Advisers, if she will give the total travel cost of each occasion when advisers travelled abroad in an official capacity since 2 May 1997 and the place visited. [82415]

For the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 1999, Special Advisers in my Department have travelled overseas in an official capacity on 5 occasions. The costs are shown in the table.All travel complied with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

Date/Place visited	Cost1 (£)
12 November 1997
New York/Washington/Boston/San Francisco	5,397.70
14 March 1998
Boston/Washington/New York	5,324.60
19 July 1998
Boston/Washington/New York	2,386.50
6 October 1998
New York	3,261.95
15 March 1999
Washington/New York	3,360.40
1The cost refers to flights only

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if she will list for the week ended Saturday 24 April the number of violent incidents involving paramilitary groups which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many involved (a) Loyalist and (b) Republican groups; [82740](2) if she will list for the week ended Saturday 24 April the number of

The number of security incidents during the period 18 April to 24 April 1999 are shown in the table.

	Number
Shootings	2
Bombings	1

The number of casualties as a result of paramilitary-style attacks during the period are as follows:

	Loyalist	Republican
Assaults	1	1
Shootings	1	1
Total	2	2

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to return the sequencing of the traffic lights at the junction of Mill Street and Circular Road, Newtownards, County Down, to their original setting. [82742]

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Roads Service under its chief executive, Mr. W. J. McCoubrey. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made on the review of the future of Government Offices of the Regions of England. [83181]

I have been asked to reply.The Performance and Innovation Unit in the Cabinet Office is carrying out a study of the role of central Government at regional and local level in England. This includes considering the role of Government Offices in the Regions. A consultation document was circulated to interested parties in March, seeking responses by 1 June. The study is due to be completed by the end of the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisation will in future be responsible for monitoring hotel bed occupancy rates. [83034]

[holding answer 4 May 1999]: The English Tourist Board is currently responsible for monitoring hotel bed occupancy rates through data collected as part of the UK Occupancy Survey (UKOS). The ETB runs the UKOS in partnership with the national tourist boards of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The English Tourism Council, in partnership with the national tourist boards, will retain responsibility for commissioning the UKOS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those matters currently solely within Her Majesty's Government's responsibility for which by virtue of the treaty of Amsterdam responsibility will be jointly held with an institution of the EU on the coming into force of that treaty. [83280]

The treaty of Amsterdam broadens the competence of the Community institutions mainly in areas where they already share responsibility with the member states. Such areas include the environment, social policy, employment policy, non-discrimination, public health and consumer protection.It also introduces new Community competence over policies on the free movement of persons in new Title IV of the EC Treaty. However, the UK will not be bound by any measures adopted under this Title unless it chooses to be so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he has taken to ensure that the Serbian population is informed of Nato's action relating to the crisis in Kosovo. [83141]

We are using a variety of means to get the truth into Yugoslavia. The BBC World Service has increased its Serbian programming by almost half. It is now broadcasting 3 more 15 minute news bulletins. We are working with the BBC to find ways of getting our medium wave and FM footprint into Serbia as well so that the BBC's impartial reporting can be heard.We are also using the Foreign Office's own media facilities to get our message across to the Serbian people. The London Radio Service has more than doubled its bulletins and has set up a Serbian language service now used by 3 stations in Montenegro. British Satellite News also offers a 7 day service and is used by 43 television stations in the Balkans, Ukraine and Russia.We have used the internet to send a message to the Serbian people over the head of President Milosevic. Our Kosovo website gets 25,000 hits a day. We have translated it into Serbian and over 1,200 hits a day come from Yugoslavia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with his German counterpart on the amount of storage space for spent nuclear fuel (a) currently available and (b) under construction in Germany. [82945]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: I have, to date, had no such discussions with my German counterpart. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and Industry (82944).

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many arms export licence applications his Department has (a) examined and (b) advised against granting since September 1997. [83092]

From 1 October 1997 to 31 March 1999, 12,073 Standard Individual Export Licence applications, covering arms and other goods the export of which is controlled for strategic reasons, were circulated to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by the Department for Trade and Industry for advice, in accordance with the FCO's requirements. In the same period, 924 Open Individual Export Licence applications were also circulated to the FCO, although this figure does not reflect subsequent requests for alterations to either the goods or the consignee schedules of these licences.The Government's first Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, which marks a new level of transparency in relation to the Government's export licensing policy, gives details of all licence applications refused in the period 2 May to 31 December 1997, broken down by country and equipment category. Details of licences refused in 1998 will be given in the next Annual Report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many staff were employed in the Standards and Effectiveness Unit of his Department on 31 March; what the budget was of that unit in 1998 –99; and what budget has been set for the unit in 1999 –2000. [82015]

[holding answer 26 April 1999]: The number of staff employed in the Standards and Effectiveness Unit on 31 March was 148. The budget for the Unit in 1998 –99 was £4.8 million; the budget for 1999 –2000 is £5.9 million. A significant part of the increase in the budget is due to the transfer of four teams covering specialist schools in September 1999. The complement of staff in the SEU is drawn mainly from existing Civil Servants together with a small number of external practitioners, including heads and inspectors, appointed to bring the benefit of their experience to the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent assessment his Department has made of the state of repair of school furniture. [82908]

None. Schools are responsible for the maintenance of their furniture, and for utilising their delegated budgets for this purpose as necessary. The Government have supported schools by increasing recurrent provision for local authority education services by £1.1 billion for 1999 –2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will rank local education authorities in England by the amount of swimming time and instruction offered to schools; and if he will make a statement. [83238]

This information is not collected centrally. However, the Government believe it is extremely important that young people should learn to swim. Swimming is therefore a compulsory element of the PE curriculum in all primary schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to improve the quality of physical education in primary schools. [83247]

This Government believe that PE and sport are essential to a rounded education. We have therefore committed £400 million of Lottery money through the New Opportunities Fund to after-school learning, including PE, sports, games and outdoor activities.The review of the National Curriculum for the year 2000 is looking at all areas of the school curriculum, including physical education in primary schools. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be consulting widely on draft proposals for a revised National Curriculum during the summer, before final decisions are taken.The Government will also be publishing a sports strategy paper later this year that will include the promotion of physical and sporting opportunities for young people as one of its principal aims. The Government also fund Sport England, whose Active Schools programme ensures quality sports provision in schools through a variety of initiatives, including BT TOP Sport, Sportsmark and Sportsmark Gold awards, Coaching for Teachers and the Sporting Ambassadors scheme. Sport England have committed £3.1m to Active Schools this year, in addition to Lottery funding of £7.75m towards TOP Play and BT Top Sport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will give a breakdown of capital allocations to schools in Amber Valley since May 1997. [83158]

[holding answer 4 May 1999]: The information requested by my hon. Friend is shown in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the total capital allocation to schools in Amber Valley since May 1997. [83157]

[holding answer 4 May 1999]: The resources allocated since May 1997 for capital purposes to schools in the Amber Valley amount to £2,443,043.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by local education authority the expenditure per pupil at 1998 –99 prices from aggregate schools budgets in (a) maintained primary schools and (b) maintained secondary schools in (i) 1996 –97, (ii) 1997 –98 and (iii) 1998 –99, giving the average percentage change from (1) 1996 –97 to 1997 –98 and (2) from 1997 –98 to 1998 –99. [81648]

[pursuant to her reply, 28 April 1999, c. 181]: Unfortunately the table which was provided in the reply contained errors. A revised table has been placed in the Library today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many New Deal trainees were in post on the Environment Task Force in each region of the United Kingdom at the most recent date for which figures are available. [83149]

The information set out in the following table shows the number of young people who were on the New Deal Environment Task Force option at the end of February 1999. The figures have been drawn from the latest Government Statistical Service report and are shown by each of the Employment Service Regions in Great Britain.

ES region	Participants on ETF option
East Midlands and Eastern	510
London and South East	980
Northern	610
North West	1,080
South West	330
West Midlands	540
Yorkshire and the Humber	960
Office for Wales	730
Office for Scotland	840
Great Britain total	6,590

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to increase Environment Task Force placements under the New Deal. [83148]

The Employment Service continues to work closely with its partners and Environment Task Force providers in each of its Regions to build up new placements and maintain current placements for the Environment Task Force option. The Employment Service has no evidence that an increased number of placements is required over and above those already contracted for.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's work to increase the number of high-productivity and knowledge-based enterprises. [82358]

The Competitiveness White Paper, published in December last year, included a range of measures designed to help business meet the challenge of the knowledge driven economy. Publication of the Implementation Plan, in March of this year, demonstrated the Department's determination to carry through the commitments contained in the White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to support policies on environmental sustainability for manufacturing industry. [82380]

The Government are determined to help business meet the challenge and seize the opportunities of sustainability. In just the last month, I have announced new funding of around £8 million for a new Sustainable Technologies Initiative, £12 million to kick start a £60 million high tech drive to develop cleaner coal technologies, and the latest phase of the Foresight Vehicle programme which is supporting over £25 million of innovative research to develop the technologies needed for the next generation of more sustainable vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of the national minimum wage since its introduction. [82381]

It is early days; the national minimum wage has been in operation for only 5 weeks. However, recent independent research shows not only that most employers (almost 90 per cent.) support the principle of the minimum wage but that 40 per cent. had adjusted their pay structures prior to its introduction. There is no evidence of higher costs feeding into higher prices and there were few signs of any demand for the restoration of pay differentials. There was little evidence of significant job losses; in fact, staff levels among smaller firms have increased by 11 per cent. over the past year —staff turnover had fallen in traditionally low paying industries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of the national minimum wage since its introduction. [82361]

The national minimum wage, since its introduction in April, has benefited some two million of the lowest paid workers in the country, and their families. The principle of a minimum wage is supported by the vast majority of companies in this country.The Inland Revenue are enforcing the national minimum wage, and they supply my Department with data on all matters relating to compliance on a regular basis. Early indications are that awareness of the law is high, and so is compliance. Only in relatively few cases have we had reports of deliberate underpayment. These are being actively pursued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the impact of the national minimum wage. [82384]

The Government asked the Low Pay Commission to monitor and evaluate the introduction and impact of the national minimum wage with particular reference to the effects on pay, employment and competitiveness. The Commission has been asked to report its findings by December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of people who have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage. [82357]

The Government estimate that nearly 2 million workers have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage. Recent research commissioned by Reed Personnel Services shows that almost 9 out of 10 companies surveyed support the minimum wage in principle and that 4 out of 10 had already adjusted their pay scales ahead of the introduction of the minimum wage on 1 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the implementation of the national minimum wage. [82372]

The Department has received a number of representations about the implementation of the national minimum wage legislation. In addition, the Inland Revenue, which is enforcing the minimum wage, has received some 500 reports of underpayment of the minimum wage and is approaching employers to resolve the complaints.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on overseas trade fairs to promote British exports in each of the last three financial years for which figures are available. [82382]

My Department spent £20.2 million in 1996 –97, £20.5 million in 1997 –98 and £18.6 million in 1998 –99, including the Commercial Excellence scheme, on overseas trade fairs to promote British exports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that small businesses have access to finance for development. [82385]

The Government are concerned to ensure that small businesses have access to sources of finance which are appropriate to their needs. The private sector is primarily responsible for designing and delivering finance products to small business and successfully meets their needs in the vast majority of cases. I am aware, however, that some small businesses have faced difficulties in raising the right finance. In particular, there can be problems in securing debt finance where a business has no track record or available security and in raising venture capital in small amounts. We therefore announced, in the Competitiveness White Paper (Cmd 4176), the creation of the Enterprise Fund. As well as continuing to fund the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme, this Fund will also act to stimulate the availability of venture capital for smaller, growing businesses.In addition, we are working with the key players in the informal investment or "business angel" markets to stimulate the availability of venture capital from individual investors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce his decision on Milk Marque following the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report. [82386]

I am aware that many members and their constituents in the dairy industry have a keen interest in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply in Great Britain of raw cows' milk. I will publish it as soon as is practicable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the number of people who have become entitled to annual leave as a result of the working time directive. [82387]

At the time of the Regulations coming into force on 1 October 1998 it was anticipated that 2.5m workers would benefit from the entitlement to paid annual leave. A Regulatory Impact Assessment on the costs and benefits resulting from the implementation of the Working Time Regulations was made, a copy of which is held in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent measures his Department is taking to support British companies in respect of export promotion; and if he will make a statement. [82389]

My right hon Friend the Foreign Secretary announced on 12 March 1999, Official Report, columns 399 –400, the Government's response to the Cabinet Secretary's Review of Export Promotion, the core of which is that all trade promotion and development activities of the DTI and FCO should be unified in a new joint operation, British Trade International, with a single Chief Executive. The organisation will give Britain a sharper edge in export markets. Once implemented, the provisions of the Review will allow us to provide a more coherent service which is readily accessible to UK businesses wherever they are located. Copies of the report have been placed in the libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what conditions he attached to the launch aid awarded to Rolls-Royce to help with the development of the Trent engine. [82391]

When I announced the public-private partnership with Rolls-Royce on 12 November 1997, Official Report, columns 626 –27, providing for up to £200 million of public investment in further development of the Trent aeroengine, my Department had signed a detailed contract with Rolls-Royce plc in relation to this partnership. The main conditions contained were that the company should continue its successful development of the Trent aeroengines involved, and that this should secure considerable benefit for the company, its suppliers and the wider economy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest consultations with industry on E-commerce. [82393]

I am pleased to say that we have received over 240 responses to Building Confidence in Electronic Commerce —A Consultation Document. I have arranged for a list of respondents —except those who asked for their response to be kept confidential—to be placed in the House of Commons Library. The responses are currently being carefully analysed. A summary will be published in due course. The Electronic Commerce Bill will be introduced into Parliament later this session.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to advise business of the opportunities and implications of the Employment Relations Bill. [82394]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, other ministerial colleagues and I speak frequently to a wide range of audiences about the advantages of the partnership approach embodied in the Employment Relations Bill. Information about the progress of the Bill is on the DTI website. We will publish full guidance for all concerned before the Bill's provisions come into force.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of new wind turbines which will be installed by 2002. [83319]

[holding answer 4 May 1999]: The number of new wind turbines likely to be installed in 2002 depends largely on the size of machines which generators choose to employ. For example, a growth in generation of 300 GWh would require about 220 machines if their average size was 0.6 MW or about 130 machines if their average size was 1 MW.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total subsidy provided by the Government to the wind generation industry to date. [83323]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: I expect the average premium price paid to fall as wind energy capacity contracted, under the Order which I made last September for the fifth Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation at an average price of 2.88 p/kWh, is commissioned. The charge to the Fossil Fuel Levy of providing premium prices for electricity from wind turbines was £200 million to February 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the average costs per kilowatt hours of wind-generated energy. [83324]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: In England and Wales the average premium price of electricity generated in February 1999 by wind turbines contracted under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation arrangements was 5.2 p/kWh compared to the average price for generation from conventional sources of 3.0 p/kWh over the same period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports he has received of instances of wind turbines having thrown broken blades to the ground.[83318]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: I have received no reports of instances of these machines' broken blades falling to the ground.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new wind turbines will be required to meet the Government's targets on renewable energy. [83327]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: The number of new wind turbines required to contribute towards this target depends on the range and mix of renewable technologies employed, such as biomass, offshore wind, wave, landfill gas and energy from waste, and the contribution that each one makes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the cost to date to public funds of failed applications to establish wind farms. [83321]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: There is no cost to public funds of failed applications to develop wind farms; the premium price is paid only when the wind turbines generate electricity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received opposing the establishment of new wind farms. [83322]

[holding answer 5 May 1999): I have recently published "New and Renewable Energy: Prospects for the 21st Century" and have invited views on a wide range of issues concerning the greater deployment of a range of renewable sources of energy, including wind energy, by 28 May. The representations made so far have been positive, constructive and encouraging.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to increase support for small and medium-sized enterprises in the East Midlands. [83163]

There are many initiatives, arising from the December 1998 Competitiveness White Paper, which are intended to increase support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These initiatives will benefit SMEs in all regions, including the East Midlands.On 10 March 1999,

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date the Government's proposed e-Envoy will (a) be appointed and (b) commence work; and what his salary will be. [83313]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: No final decisions have yet been taken. The Government plan to make an announcement on the e-Envoy shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library details of the common position which was recorded at the EU Telecoms Council in Luxembourg on 22 April on the European Directive on electronic signatures. [83312]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: The formal common position text of the European Directive on electronic signatures will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as it has been to Jurists/Linguists.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the material recovered from reprocessing of German spent nuclear fuel has a commercial value in the United Kingdom. [82893]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: The uranium and plutonium contained in spent nuclear fuel can be used in the manufacture of fresh fuel and therefore, once separated through reprocessing, have a commercial value. The separated waste recovered from the reprocessed spent fuel has no commercial value. All the materials recovered from reprocessing German spent fuel in the UK remain the property of the German utility concerned and must be returned to Germany.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the prospects for onward sale outside the UK of the material recovered from the processing of German spent nuclear fuel. [82892]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: None. Spent nuclear fuel imported into the UK for reprocessing and the products which are recovered from that fuel (uranium, plutonium and waste) remain, at all times, the property of the overseas customer. It remains the firm policy of the UK Government that these materials be returned to the country of origin.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has held with his German counterpart on the amount of storage space for spent nuclear fuel (a) currently available and (b) under construction in Germany. [82944]

[holding answer 5 May 1999]: None. Requirements for spent fuel storage facilities in Germany are a matter for the owners of the spent fuel and the relevant German regulatory authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the companies of which the directors of British Nuclear Fuels Limited are directors [82508]

The information is provided in BNFL's annual return to the Registrar of Companies. I have, however, asked BNFL's Company Secretary to write to my hon. Friend direct, and will place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current ECGD exposure on exports to Indonesia. [82390]

ECGD's exposure on Indonesia is £1,541 million, of which £48 million is in respect of unrecovered claims.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector. [82374]

The decisive action we have taken to promote economic stability, coupled with the measures announced in our Competitiveness White Paper, will help improve the long-term competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress towards issuing licences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act for operators of third-generation mobile communications networks. [83794]

Following extensive consultation and careful consideration the Government have decided to offer five third-generation licences by means of auction. The licences will comprise three of (2x10)+5MHz, one of 2x15MHz and one of (2x15)+5MHz. The largest will be reserved for a new entrant. It believes that this will most effectively allow the benefits of third-generation to the UK economy and consumers to be realised. In particular, it is convinced that these benefits are most likely to be maximised by encouraging market entry and competition.The Director General of Telecommunications will shortly issue for statutory consultation draft amendments to existing public mobile operators' Telecommunications Act licences which are intended to provide any new entrants with the right to roam onto at least one second generation mobile network.The Government continue to expect that, subject to market and other developments and to final decisions nearer the time, the auction will take place in the second half of the financial year 1999 –2000.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 28 April 1999, Official Report, column 338, what independent evidence he has assessed to support the statement attributed to Dr. Dobruna and Professor Kelmendi that 45 per cent. of Kosovan villages had been destroyed by the Serbs by February; and what information he received on the backgrounds of Dr. Dobruna and Professor Kelmendi prior to 28 April. [83174]

[holding answer 4 May 1999]: Reports from many sources, including members of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission prior to their withdrawal from Kosovo in March this year, indicated that a large number of villages in Kosovo had been substantially damaged or destroyed. I received no specific information on the backgrounds of Dr. Dobruna and Professor Kelmendi.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 28 April 1999, Official Report, column 334, what is the result of NATO's study of the best way to implement the embargo; and what is the name of the village near Djakovica to which he referred. [83177]

[holding answer 4 May 1999]: Options for implementation of an oil embargo are currently being considered and a decision is expected shortly.The name of the village near Djakovica is Mej.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Mr. Flight), of 31 March 1999, Official Report, column 1080, on which public interest grounds under paragraph 1 section (IV) of the ministerial code the Chancellor of the Exchequer declined to give the information requested by the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green in his question answered on 19 March 1999, Official Report, column 857. [80580]

[holding answer 13 April 1999]: The answers which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor gave the hon. Member on 30 March 1999, Official Report, column 667, and 13 April 1999, Official Report, columns 122–23, explained that he had provided a detailed account of the position in his reply of 16 March 1999, Official Report, columns 641–42.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) with which companies, not at present trading in the UK, he has discussed planning issues during the past year; [83160](2) with which retail businesses he has discussed planning issues during the past year; [83162](3) when he last met representatives of Wal-Mark; what subjects were discussed; and who was present. [83161]

I have regular meetings with business leaders from the United Kingdom and overseas and others, including consumer and environmental groups, on a wide range of subjects, and will continue to do so. As with previous Governments, it is not my practice to provide details of confidential discussions. However, as has already been stated publicly, I met the President of Wal-Mark International about a month ago. The meeting was a short courtesy call at his request.All planning applications are made to the local planning authority and decisions are made in accordance with the development plan. The Government's Response to the Fourth Report of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Select Committee on Shopping Centres published in July 1997 (Cmnd 3729) reaffirmed the policy set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 6 (PPG6), which seeks to focus development, especially retail development, within existing town centres.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan) of 28 April 1999, Official Report, column 342, concerning flights between Chile and the Falkland Islands, on what date the representations were made; and what form they took. [83232]

[holding answer 4 May 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, North (Ms Perham) on 28 April 1999, Official Report, column 180.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many road hauliers' jobs have been lost since 1 May 1997. [82191]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to improve the civil registration system. [82924]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Ms Lawrence) on 7 December 1998, Official Report, columns 27–28. I have asked the Registrar General for England and Wales to carry out a review of the civil registration system with the aim of producing a public consultation document this summer. The review, which is underway, will consider the existing operational framework and set out options for the future development of the service.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage financial institutions to improve their risk management systems. [83243]

Improving risk management is a priority both domestically and internationally. The G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors have encouraged the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision to finalise its work on revising the Basle Capital Accord so that it better reflects risk. More specifically, following the near-failure of the LTCM hedge fund, the Basle Committee published a sound practices paper setting out ways in which financial institutions could improve their risk management processes. Other international bodies are also looking at issues relating to hedge funds and their work will be coordinated by a working group of the newly established Financial Stability Forum. The Financial Services Authority are working closely with the institutions they supervise to ensure that their risk management processes follow good practice.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when a decision will be announced on the review of options for the future of the Royal Mint undertaken by his Department.[83186]

The Chancellor and I are currently considering the options that have been examined. A decision will be announced in the near future.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of widows who will (a) lose bereavement tax credit in the 1999 –2000 budget and (b) be eligible for the new benefits which replace the tax credit.[79089]

Number of lone parents on benefit and the number of those receiving maintenance since November 1995
	Lone parents on benefits (thousand)	Those receiving maintenance (thousand)	Percentage receiving maintenance	Average weekly maintenance (£ per week)
November 1995	1,337	217	16	29.69
November 1996	1,338	232	17	30.62
November 1997	1,334	248	19	31.53
November 1998	1,326	269	20	31.62

I have been asked to reply.The widows' bereavement allowance will not be abolished for existing claimants, but there will be no new claims to the allowance for deaths occurring after 5 April 2000.As a result of the reforms of widows' benefits it is estimated that, in the first full year of implementation:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue implications in 1999 –2000 and 2000 –01 of the abolition of bereavement tax credit for widows and its replacement by benefits. [79090]

I have been asked to reply.The Widows' Bereavement Allowance will not be abolished for existing claimants, but there will be no new claims to the allowance for deaths occurring after 5 April 2000. The revenue effect of this change is estimated to be a saving of £15 million in 2000 –01. The new bereavement benefits, which are unlikely to be implemented before April 2001, are estimated to cost around £140 million in the first year of implementation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single parents were receiving benefits; what proportion of them were known to be receiving maintenance payments; and what was the average maintenance payment, in each of the last 30 years. [83185]

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce fair trade products at a) meetings, (b) events and (c) catering facilities within his Department. [82865]

I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer from my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary on 5 May 1999, Official Report, column 410.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reason older pensioners receive higher rates of income support than younger pensioners. [82706]

The higher premium rate for older pensioners was proposed in the 1985 Green Paper "Reform of Social Security Programme for Change" for those most likely to have continuing health problems or to be frail and in need of special support in maintaining themselves in the community. The Green Paper proposed two routes to the premium, one age related, the other for younger pensioners receiving benefits related to disability or continuing incapacity.